The evaluation workshop of a project aimed at improving the resilience of vulnerable populations in Niamey has been held.

The conference room of the Commune IV has hosted the final workshop for sharing the results of the project titled “Improving resilience and livelihood of households suffering from food insecurity in towns of Niamey Commune IV”, an intervention aimed at reducing food vulnerability of very poor households in this commune. The workshop counted with the participation of the beneficiaries, the traditional and community authorities, the delegate of CONEMUND, as well as the project team and members of the NGO KARKARA, in charge of the project implementation.

Beginning of the workshop, with the presence of the SG and a Counsellor of the Commune, and the representatives of Karkara and CONEMUND

The intervention has improved the agricultural production of 10 women associations from three villages in the Commune IV (GorouKaina, KongouKonga and Sagagourou II) by introducing irrigation in the farms, providing training in agricultural engineering and products marketing, together with a continued technical assistance by the Technical Services of Niger’s Ministry of Agriculture. The women have also received different trainings in management and strengthening the activities of their groups; shops have been built to sell products such as seeds and fertilizers, thus facilitating the access to them for the beneficiaries and other producers of the area.

During the workshop, the beneficiaries had the opportunity to express the changes they have experienced in their day to day tasks thanks to the implementation of this intervention. The representatives of the various groups pointed out that the diet of their families (about 800 people per village) has become more diversified thanks to the introduction of different varieties of vegetables in their farms; they added that the intervention has improved the role and participation of women at village level.

Women Beneficiaries

CONEMUND and KARKARA have worked intensively to promote the empowerment of women and their greater participation in decision-making at family and community levels. These awareness activities have been supported by the projection of short films in the three villages, in order to generate a debate within the public attending, which has been beneficial to promote the empowerment of women.

At the end of the workshop, the communal authorities, as well as KARKARA and CONEMUND, have pledged to continue the follow up of these groups of women in order to consolidate the project results.